Fruitless Trip To Merseyside

Saturday’s trip to Merseyside proved to be a fruitless one for the Wolves under 18s as they slipped to a 2-0 reversal against Liverpool.

Coach Mick Halsall blamed shoddy defending, and the fact that his players conceded possession far too easily, for the defeat.

He said: “After last week’s victory over Middlesbrough, it was all about seeing if the players could carry on the good work when they travelled up to Liverpool on Saturday.

“As a team they started off well enough although a couple of players could have done more in the early exchanges by keeping hold of the ball better when not under any real threat.

“But that turned out to be the theme of the game for us as it progressed. We gave the ball away too easily and in an unnecessary fashion which allowed the opposition to have a majority of the possession, particularly in the first half.

“We conceded the first goal after a misplaced pass. That allowed them to break at us and although we defended the first shot, as has happened in previous games, the players do not react quickly enough and allowed the opposition a second attempt at goal that they didn’t waste.

“We are always in the game but we did not really create enough in the first half and just on half time we conceded another sloppy goal after conceding possession and reacting slowly to a ball over the top.

“After the break we kept going and although the opposition always posed a threat, a lot we managed the game better as it progressed but could not get a goal back to put the Liverpool defence under real pressure.

“We asked a few questions but nothing in the way of dominating a passage of play and looking as if we would get back in to the game which is disappointing from us.

“So now we have to try to put it right on the training round again, and see where it takes us.”